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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of August 2012

08/01/12
SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE WEARY

Scripture: Exodus 17:12 "Moses hands were weary ... and Aaron and Hur held up his hands."

While Joshua and the army of Israel fought against the armies of Amalek, Moses stood at the top of the hill with the rod of God in His hand. Aaron and Hur stood by his side and as the battle raged, Moses lifted the rod that was in his hands as God had instructed him to do. When Moses lifted the rod up, Joshua and the armies of Israel prevailed in battle, but when he lowered his hands, the Amalekites prevailed. After a length of time, Moses finally became weary and could no longer hold the rod up. Israel was destined for defeat, but Aaron and Hur got a stone for Moses to sit upon and they stood on each side of him and held his hands up. Because of their effort and support, Joshua and the people of God prevailed and defeated Amalek and his army.

God calls each of us to act in the same way towards our brothers and sisters in Christ. When we see that they are in a battle with the enemy, we need to stand by their side and support them. We don't have to engage ourselves in their actual battle but we can intercede in prayer, give encouraging words, send a card of comfort, cook a meal, or do something to let them know that we care. It may also be that we need to restore them in love if they have been overcome in sin. In Galatians 6:2, Paul tells us to bear or carry one another's burdens. It's in sharing each other's troubles and problems that we fulfill the command of the Lord.

There are all kinds of battles that rage against believers and there are needs that surround us every day. All that we have to do is open our eyes and see them or allow our ears to be attentive to their cries. Yet, we often walk in denial and try to ignore the obvious, because acknowledgement requires some sort of personal response and self-sacrifice. Yet, meeting another person's need could be the one thing that brings victory in our own lives. Job's captivity turned when he prayed for his friends who had judged him harshly. And Isaiah 58:7-9 says that when we take care of the needs of others, our own light will break forth and health will come to our own bodies. It's as we sow blessings that we reap and as we give that we receive. Luke 6:38 says that whatever we share, it will be given back to us in a good measure, pressed down, and shaken together. So when you discern that your brother or sister is weary in their battle, be the one to hold them up. Your one soft word or your one kind deed may be the very thing that gives them the strength and help that they need to overcome and defeat their enemy. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/02/12
HIS WITNESSES

Scripture: Acts 1:8 "You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me ..."

Many times we become burdened with a false sense of responsibility concerning situations and problems in the lives of those around us. As we see their hurts and pains, we become deeply involved in their crisis. In the midst of their adversity and stress, we sometimes experience a "Messiah Syndrome," forgetting that we are but frail humans ourselves. Because we want to help those who are hurting so much, we forget that we are not their savior and that their deliverance is not held in our hands. We try to act as god in their life rather than merely interceding in prayer and being the witness that we are called to be. Eventually after much anxiety and wasted effort on our part, we come to this startling realization:

I did not suffer shame - therefore, I can not deliver.

I did not bear the stripes on my back - therefore, I can not heal.

I did not sweat drops of blood - therefore, I can not relieve anxiety.

I did not wear a crown of thorns on my brow - therefore, I can not give peace.

I did not die on a cross - therefore, I can not redeem.

I did not rise from the dead - I am not God.

Jesus was the one who suffered these pains for humanity and He is the Messiah who is anointed by God. Only He can set the captive free, for all power is held in His hands. He understands the needs of those who suffer pain and He is touched by their feelings and weaknesses. He loves them and is just as concerned for them as we are and He is waiting to help.

As the Lord's witness, our purpose is to simply point those who are hurting to Him. We must put them in His awesome hands and trust Him for their deliverance. Hebrews 4:14-15 says, "Jesus, the Son of God, is our great High Priest who has gone to Heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting Him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses because He had the same temptations that we experience, but He never once gave way to them and sinned. So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive His mercy and to find His grace to help us in our times of need." Jesus is the answer. We are simply His witnesses. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/03/12
EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11 "He has made everything beautiful in His time."

God orchestrates our lives to fashion it for His purposes. We don't always understand what He is doing, but we do know that His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. God's timing is also a great mystery in our lives. He ordains not only the seasons, but also the individual moments that we experience. Everything is held in His hands. We often think that we are waiting upon God when in reality He is waiting on us, for we are not yet prepared for the journey that is set before us. God is wise and will not send us into battle until we are prepared and He will not use us for His glorious purposes until the spiritual fruit is ripened in our lives. Each phase of our life is a preparation time for the next level. We must learn that when we are not doing exactly what we want to do or seemly not accomplishing very much that if we will use that waiting time wisely, we will be ready when God is ready.

We should be encouraged as we look at the men in scriptures who experienced long waiting periods before God allowed them to complete their purposes. Moses was sent to the backside of the desert for forty long years before God spoke to him from a burning bush. Joseph endured the pits and prisons for sixteen years before his dreams and visions came to pass. King David waited patiently upon the timing of God for his kingdom to be established and in one of his psalms he declared, "My times are in your hands" (Psalms 31:15). The Apostle Paul spent eight years in the desert preparing for the ministry set before him. God, Himself, also waited four thousand years after the fall of man in the Garden of Eden before He sent His Son to redeem the world from sin. God may have wanted to do something earlier but He waited until the fullness of time had come before He released Jesus to complete His divine purpose (Galatians 4:4).

We must put our faith in God and forget about the timetable of our life, for God is aware of our limited life span. In His perfect way, He will put everything together at the right time. He will see to every detail and arrange every circumstance. He will even change the hearts of others who need to be involved in our dream and order every step of our way to bring to pass the things that He has planned. So until your dreams actually come to pass, wait on God and realize that wherever you are and whatever you are doing right now, you are actually on the way to where you are going. Don't try to push or rush God because He will get you there at your appointed time. He has a special timing for every event in your life and as long as you wait for Him, He will make everything beautiful in His time. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of August 2012

08/06/12
FIRM CHOICE

Scripture: Luke 9:61 "Lord, I will follow Thee; but let me first go and bid them farewell which are at home at my house."

Jesus extended an awesome invitation for men to follow Him in His ministry, but His offer was met with excuses. The reasons may have sounded legitimate but Jesus wanted total surrender to His call and His voice of direction. Jesus' answer to this man's plea to wait until later was, "No man who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Jesus was looking for more than faith; He was also looking for a determined focus to His agenda and immediate commitment to His will.

The most limiting thing in life is a firm choice to be totally submitted to God's will. Total submission means that we must continually deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow the Lord. It is a forward walk in His foot prints every step of the way. There is no time to look back at the failures or successes of yesterday and there is no room to wander from the straight and narrow path. Think about yourself and the circle that is about you. A circle has 360 degrees. As you position yourself at the edge of that circle, see yourself standing on the first degree. This means there will be 359 degrees remaining or in other words there will be 359 other directions that you could go. Most of us would never think of turning and going 180 degrees in the opposite direction of God's will, but many times we do alter our course by a slight degree. We fail to realize that if we go one degree in the wrong direction for a length of time, we will eventually be very far from the presence and purposes of God.

There are many distractions and temptations in life. Jesus declared that if we are considering any options other than following Him, we are not ready for His kingdom. Being human is a challenge because living in the natural conflicts with life in the spiritual. So we need to understand that God's ideas are better than ours and then walk as wise servants of the Most High God. Our present season is a seed for our future. What we do today will determine our tomorrow. We have a choice to either follow our own way, the persuasions of others, or the voice of the Living God. We must ask ourselves these questions, "What did God tell me to do?" and "Am I doing it?" When we discover the answer, then we must put our hand to the plow, follow Him, and never look back. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/07/12
SHOW ME YOUR GLORY

Scripture: Exodus 33:18 "And Moses said, I beseech You, show me Your glory."

When Moses asked God to allow him to see His glory, God showed Himself to Moses. God did not show Moses the glorious universe that He had created. He didn't point to all of the galaxies with its multitude of stars and planets. Nor did God show Moses the beautiful mountains, valleys, rivers, or oceans that He had called into existence with just a few words. God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock and covered him with His hand. He then allowed Moses a brief glimpse of His backside as He passed by.

Later, Exodus 34:6-7 tells us that the Lord passed by before Moses and proclaimed, "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin..." Sometimes we don't realize it, but we are right in the midst of God's glory. We may not actually see a supernatural manifestation or a beautiful cloud swirling about us, but we experience His gracious actions towards us. His glory is manifested to us in the way of undeserved mercy, goodness, truth, and forgiveness. We may look for a sighting or something spectacular but instead God surrounds us with His glorious love and holiness. What more could we ask for?

God has never hidden me in the cleft of the rock and allowed me the honor of seeing His backside as He passed by like He did with Moses. I have never seen the visible manifestation of God and yet I have experienced the glories of His mercy when I deserved judgment and cruel punishment. He has shown me the glory of His longsuffering as He tenderly dealt with me to change my heart and redirect my paths when I was going astray. I also have seen the glories of His goodness towards me when He abundantly provided for my needs spiritually, physically, and emotionally. I have witnessed His spirit of truth, which has never failed. His glory has never been absent from my life, for even though I could not touch Him or see Him, I have felt and known that His presence was near. I have never heard the audible voice of God but I have experienced the glory of His still small voice speaking a word in due season to my heart. As we think about these seven simple words that Moses spoke, let us make them a daily profound petition to God for our personal life, "I ask You, show me Your glory." +++

Scripture: Psalms 147:3 "He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds."

There is an old saying that declares, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." I have to say that the writer of those words must have had a different kind of heart than most of us possess. For words truly are capable of bruising the tender soul with deeper wounds than the assault that comes against the flesh with sticks and stones. Our flesh heals much easier and quicker than our spirits, for once the flesh is healed, the injury is usually forgotten and left in the past. We don't recall the thorns in our flesh, the bruises on our body, or other physical injuries that we have sustained. We treat them and nurture them back to health and go on with life. They teach us to be careful, but once they are healed, we never cry again because of their pain.

The heart and soul of man is much different. Within the heart it seems there is an everlasting fountain of grief and sadness for those who have been wounded in their spirits. In one moment, one word or situation can bring the past injuries into the present and re-create the pain of the things that we thought we had buried within our spirits. The feeling is just as fresh and the hurt is just as deep as it was in the past. It is amazing how this can happen so suddenly. Without warning and unannounced, these wounds are resurrected and take us by surprise. Our heart aches and our tears flow and no one seems to understand our grief. King David experienced this and spoke out concerning his own broken heart saying, "I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none" (Psalms 69:20).

Your physical body cannot function well with a heart that is not working right. When your physical heart is not well, your whole body suffers. Your breath is short, your strength fades, and other parts of your body fail. The same is true with your spiritual heart, for when your spirit is injured, your entire being suffers the loss. There is only one person who is able to come to your rescue, heal your spirit, and mend your broken heart. That person is the Lord, Himself. He is not only there for those whose bodies are wracked with pain but has promised to be near to those whose hearts are broken (Psalms 34:18). Look to Him, for He is the only who can see your real pain and deal with the true issues. The Lord understands the tenderness of your soul and knows how your heart aches. He takes pity and will comfort you in your pain, for He loves you with an everlasting love. Trust in Him, put your heart in His hands, and allow Him to heal and bind up your wounds. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/08/12
YOU ARE A VOICE

Scripture: John 1:23 "John said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord."

There are two groups of people:
        Those who have something to say.
        And those who feel they just have to say something.

John the Baptist was one of those who had something to say. His message was one of great importance. He did not talk of himself but instead used his voice to prepare and make the way straight for Jesus to come. When asked, "Who are you, and what do you say about yourself?" he answered and made it very plain that He was not the Christ but just a voice preparing the way for the coming of the Lord.

John was doing in the spiritual what the custom of the land called for in the natural. It was the custom in the East to send a group of men before a king or prince to physically clear the way for his coming. They took away the stones, cleared out the thorns and bushes, and leveled the ground as much as possible. They would build bridges and find the places in the streams or rivers that were more passable. They did whatever was necessary to make it easier for the king's travel. John was trying to get the hearts of men ready to receive the Messiah.

As you consider the calling of God on your life, you may feel insignificant compared to others. You may think that you can't do much in this battle for the Lord, as you may not have the education or abilities that you think you need. But like John the Baptist, you have a voice that God can use to prepare the way for Him to come into someone else's life. You may be their only bridge to eternity. Your assignment is to simply clear the way by speaking God's Word to those you come into contact with, loving and ministering to their needs, and being the best witness that you can be in your personal life. When you speak for the Lord, you have something important to say, for your words become light and life. You are a voice. God can use your simple witness and testimony to remove the stones and thorns or build a bridge in the lives of others. If you allow Him, the Lord will use you to prepare the way for the Holy Spirit to save, bless, and encourage those about you. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/08/12
FROM WATER TO WINE

Scripture: John 2:9 " ... but the servants which drew the water knew."

Jesus attended a wedding in Cana and during the celebration, they ran out of wine. When Jesus' mother, Mary, approached Him for help, Jesus responded to the need. He instructed the servants to fill the water pots with water and He then turned that same water into wine. When the wine was served at the feast, the ruler of the feast remarked that it was better than the wine that had previously been served. The ruler had no idea that he was drinking a miracle beverage, but the servants who drew the water knew. Whether they could have ever convinced the ruler of the miracle is unsure.

Very often in our lives we experience actual miracles. God heals our body, meets a financial need, restores a relationship, or does something for us that can't be explained. When we try to share our testimony, it falls on deaf ears. For the most part, the world can't receive the miracles of God or comprehend His mighty power. In 1980, I was in an auto accident and my right knee was crushed. Two medical opinions said that I had to have a steel rod put in my leg that would make it impossible for me to ever bend my leg again. There were no other options if I wanted to save my leg. They put me to sleep and took me to surgery, but God intervened and the surgeon was unable to operate.

When I came out of recovery, the doctor apologized. He said that he didn't know what happened to him, but that he couldn't cut on my leg. He said that he had never had an experience of this sort before. I responded with praises to God and told the doctor that I believed that God was going to heal my leg. He said that was impossible and that he was only postponing the operation for a few weeks. However six weeks later when I went to the doctor for an evaluation for the surgery, I was able to walk a little and a few months later, the doctor totally released me. God had healed my leg and I never had to have the surgery. That was in 1980. Even though the doctor could not explain what happened, he never acknowledged the miracle. Those around me recognized what God had done, for we had seen a miracle just like those who had witnessed the water being turned into wine.

The servants at the wedding feast knew that the water couldn't possibly have been changed into wine without a miracle. They drew the water from the well themselves and they served it as instructed. Jesus put them in total charge of the water pots. Can you imagine how this might have challenged their faith? They saw the water go into the pots and had to trust God for wine to come out. They were in a perplexing situation because they could have easily provoked the ruler of the feast, and as servants they could have reaped harsh punishment if their water had remained water. However, their simple act of obedience to the words of Jesus allowed them to experience a miracle and be a part of God's great plan.

Jesus may tell you to do something very simple just as He spoke to the servants at the wedding. Those around you may not understand why you are putting water into the pot when it is wine that you are needing. They won't understand why you are tithing and giving offerings when you are facing financial needs yourself. Neither will they understand why you are standing in faith for a healing when the doctors have given up. You may be unable to share the reasons for your faith or the victories of your deliverance because of their unbelief. Yet, this doesn't disqualify you from experiencing the miraculous works of God. As you respond in obedience to His words, He will change the water of your life into wine. When all is finished, you will be amazed to find that you have been a part of God's great plan. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of August 2012

08/13/12
WHOLE HEARTED OBEDIENCE

Scripture: Romans 6:17 (Living Bible) "Thank God that though you once chose to be slaves of sin, now you have obeyed with all your heart the teaching to which God has committed you."

There is a story of a mischievous young boy who was misbehaving. Several times his mother corrected him and told him to sit down, but he continued to misbehave. Finally in desperation, she put her hand on his head and forced him to sit down and be still. With his mother's strength in control, he had no choice but to obey. After a few minutes of struggling, he told his mother, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I am standing up on the inside." Rebellion and disobedience were still ruling within his heart.

Many times we are much like this little boy. For one reason or another, we force ourselves to obey God's word, but our hearts are not truly involved in our obedience. We refrain from sin itself only because we do not want to suffer the consequences but we continue to hold the evil thoughts in our minds and entertain lust in our hearts. We say we forgive those who have transgressed against us and we do not retaliate against our aggressors in the natural, but we harbor unforgiveness and bitterness in our hearts. We give our tithes and offerings, but do it with a grudging spirit. We don't allow ourselves to commit immoral sins, but we give in to a spirit of lust. We look okay on the outside but we choose to be slaves to the corruption within and allow our hearts to be in bondage. Just like the little boy, we are sitting down on the outside, but sin and rebellion are standing tall on the inside.

Paul said that we need to obey the teachings that God has committed to us with our whole hearts. We must acknowledge the omniscience of God and allow Him to search our hearts and change us in any area so that we are both yielded to Him on the inside as well as the outside. I Chronicles 28:9 says, "Acknowledge God, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts." Our obedience should not be just an act to fulfill the law. We must willingly die to sin and habitually live and behave like new creations because of the grace and life of Jesus that abides within us. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/14/12
HOW LONG WILL YOU MOURN?

Scripture: Isaiah 61:1 & 3 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me ... to appoint unto them that mourn ... to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."

Jesus came to fulfill this prophecy in Isaiah, but it is up to us to receive His finished work. We must make an effort to get out of the ashes, shake off the spirit of heaviness that is upon us, and praise God in the midst of our hurts. It is a matter of choice and action on our part. When we do our part, God does His part. When He sees us step away from the ashes of our broken dreams, He begins to restore our lives and exchanges the empty past for a beautiful tomorrow. He gives us joy as we look to Him and as we lay aside our grief and disappointments. And as we praise Him, He surrounds us with a supernatural garment that displaces the spirit of heaviness that had attached itself to us.

Mourning is not just related to death. It can be brought on by any number of other experiences and failures. The psalmist said that he mourned because of the "oppression of the enemy" (Psalms 42:9). Mourning is a spirit, and it is the work of the enemy. When we allow ourselves to continually mourn over disappointments, we find ourselves in the ashes and overcome by a spirit of heaviness. We are weighed down with the cares of life. In our devastation, hopelessness engulfs us. We can see no beauty and we have no joy.

Ecclesiastes 3:4-6 says, "There is a time to weep ... a time to mourn ... a time to lose." These times bring understanding and insight into our lives, causing us to have compassion for others who may be experiencing the same conflicts. But there comes a time to move out of that state of mourning and allow God to heal our hearts of its hurts and wounds, for there is a time to "laugh ... a time to dance ... and a time to receive."

Samuel mourned because Saul had rebelled against God. God asked Samuel, "How long will you mourn?" (I Samuel 15:35 & 16). God wanted Samuel to forget the past and go on with the future. Paul said it another way in Philippians 3:13-14. He said, "Forget the past." In other words, quit mourning over what could have been or should have been. You must look to the future and "press towards the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." God wants to bring restoration to you. If you allow Him, God will use every bitter situation that you have encountered to enrich your life and cause "all things to work together for your good" (Romans 8:28). God extends His Spirit of Grace to you. How long will you mourn? Begin this very moment to allow God to supernaturally move you from mourning into a place of beauty, joy, and praise. +++

Scripture: Acts 3:8 "Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God."

A lame man sat at the gate of the temple every day and begged from the people who were going in. Acts 4:20 declares that he had been lame for over forty years and he probably had lost hope of ever being normal. One day when Peter and John passed by the gate, the lame man asked them for alms. He may have experienced some disappointment when Peter said, "I don't have any silver and gold." But then Peter followed with, "But such as I have, I will give to you. In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth rise up and walk." Peter imparted something far greater than a few coins, for he spoke a miracle of healing into the lame man's life.

When God touched the lame man, he left his past behind. He jumped to his feet, entered the temple, and began to praise God. His miracle gave him a new lease on life and he was no longer the same. No longer would he have to rely on others to transport him. No longer would he have to depend upon his family for needed support, and no longer would he be forced to beg. In a moment's time, with just a few words spoken in the mighty Name of Jesus, the lame man was set free physically and emotionally. Even though there were those who questioned and condemned him, there was no shame in his praise and rejoicing. For the first time in his life, he could walk and that was all that mattered to him.

Just as God delivered this man from his crippling disease, He longs to deliver those who are broken in spirit and crippled within. He sees the wounds of your heart and He knows the secrets that you keep hidden deep within your spirit. God doesn't want to deal out a few coins or do a quick fix for your need. He wants to totally deliver you and restore the years and everything else that the devil has taken from you. If you will allow Him, God will deal gently with your hurts and heal every wound of your heart, but like the lame man, you must be willing to let go of the past. When the lame man was set free, he didn't complain about the previous forty years that were wasted. Neither did he dwell on the pain that he had suffered or the shame that he endured as a beggar. He simply rejoiced in his newfound liberty and faced the future with a hope that he never had before.

Each day that you wake up, God gives you a new lease on life and an opportunity for hope that you never had before. With every breath, He gives you another chance for life and success, happiness and joy, mercy and grace. God anointed Jesus to heal the broken hearted and to set the captive free. This includes you. So arise and leave the past behind so that you can be healed. +++

Scripture: (Living Bible) II Corinthians 2:7-8 "Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him ... Please show him that you love him very much."

These scriptures concern a man in the church who had transgressed God's laws in a grievous way. He had caused the Apostle Paul and the church a lot of pain and they had punished him in an effort to correct him. Paul now says that the guilty man had been punished enough and that it was time for restoration to begin. Paul tells the church to offer forgiveness, comfort, and love to the one who had sinned. He says, "Otherwise he may become so bitter and discouraged that he won't be able to recover."

It is often difficult to reinstate someone in our affections after they have hurt us and caused us pain, especially those who are in the household of faith. We feel that they should have known better in the first place. But if God is willing to forgive and restore them, shouldn't we? However, there are too many times when we hold on to our personal grudges and feel that it is our duty to pour on the guilt and shame. We want to make sure that the punishment exceeds the wrong deed, and we can't seem to bring ourselves to a place of forgiveness, much less be able to offer them comfort and love.

Paul says that unforgiveness is a trick of the devil and tells us not to be ignorant of his devises (verse 11). Satan knows that if you refuse to forgive, you give him an advantage in your own life. You not only hold the guilty person in bondage, disallowing him to recover, but you also put yourself into bondage. Mark 11:26 says, "If you don't forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings." When you fail to forgive others you forfeit your own forgiveness from God. And Matthew 5:23-24 says that if you and your brother have grievances, God will not receive your offering until you go to your brother and find reconciliation. It is only then that you can return and offer your gift to God because He demands forgiveness and love.

Sin and inappropriate behavior require confrontation and discipline, but repentance deserves restoration. When repentance occurs, don't continue to pour on guilt - instead pour on love. Galatians 6:1-2 (Amplified) says, "If any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual - who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit - should set him right and restore and reinstate him ... less you be tempted also. We are to bear one another's burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ." We are to forgive as the Lord forgave, comfort as He comforted, and love as He loved. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/17/12
TRUST GOD'S LIGHT

Scripture: Psalms 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Life is a wonderful journey with God as our guide. He covers the earth with His presence and with each step that we take, He goes before us. He makes the crooked ways straight and gives light to our path. He never sleeps, slumbers, or takes vacations. He is with us and will always be with us even until the end of the world. The Lord's hand is not shortened so that He cannot touch us, His ears are not deaf to our voices, and His eyes are not dim to see the things that surround us. He knows everything about the road that we are taking and He also knows what lies ahead.

We want to know what the future holds and desire that our way be flooded with light. Yet, even though God may give us a glimpse into the future, He most often gives us a lamp that only sheds light to our feet and to the next few steps that we are to take. He speaks into our lives and illuminates our spirits through His word. He leads us down the pathway one step at a time, gently taking us through valleys and strengthening us as we push our way up the mountains. He is there speaking to us when we must cross the rivers or the dry barren deserts. He is in our midst when things are calm and is also there when the storms of life are raging about us. God has a word for every season of our lives. He carries our burdens, shares our sorrows, and His love and compassions never end. He laughs with us and cries with us. He also celebrates when we celebrate and hurts when we hurt. He meets us at our present moment and gives us encouragement and hope in our journey.

A few years ago, I had to make a crucial decision that would affect the rest of my life. It was the hardest decision that I ever faced and it took months for me to come to a final conclusion. I sought the Lord, I followed His Spirit of peace, and I walked in all the light that I had at the time. God's light seemed to be a small circle around me and I could see nothing outside of the circumference of that circle because of the darkness that surrounded me. I had God's answer, but I could not see the end results. It was a very sad time because I did not know what the future held or if I would ever find joy again.

After the decision was final and my commitment was made, the enemy began to sow doubt in my mind. He tormented me with thoughts in an effort to draw me back to his plan. Yet, God is always faithful and gives light within our being. As I sought the Lord, He reminded me of the light that He had shown within my heart when I was making my decision. His light had guided me through the darkest hours of my life and His Word had been my lamp. He had spoken to me through His Word and the devil was simply trying to put that light out with doubt and confusion. When I realized what was happening, faith arose within my heart and the peace of God assured me that I was going in the right direction. The circumstances had not changed so I disallowed the breath of Satan to blow out the light. I continued to walk in the light that I had experienced when I sought for God's answer. I set my heart to believe God and trust His Word and promises although I could not see their fulfillment at the time.

Years later, I know that I made the right decision and I wonder now how it could have been so hard at the time. Yet, I have come to realize that there are dark shadows in every valley of decision. The harder the decision, the darker the shadows. Out of my experience, I want to encourage you to lean upon God as you journey through life. There will be many decisions that you will have to make. And to make the best choices for your life, you must allow God and His Word to be a lamp to your feet and then trust in His everlasting light. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of August 2012

08/20/12
TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT IT

Scripture: John 1:36 "And looking upon Jesus as He walked, John said, Behold the Lamb of God."

When John the Baptist saw Jesus passing by, he had several options in the way that he saw and described who Jesus was. John could have told the people that Jesus was his second cousin. He also could have told them that Jesus was just another local man from the village that they lived in or that He was a carpenter by trade. Instead, John boldly declared that Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. John knew the scriptures and recognized that Jesus was the Messiah who was destined to bring life and light to a darkened world. He joined his faith with the shepherds who believed the salutation of the angels and he saw Jesus as the King of Kings. Like the wise men who traveled from afar, He recognized Jesus as the Holy One who would redeem man from the curse of the law. And like Peter, He saw Jesus as the Christ and believed that He was the Son of the Living God.

There are two ways to look at everything that comes into our lives. The scope of our hope and attitude towards life depends upon what we decide to see. Life presents us with many situations and how we view them is our own personal choice. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses gave a list of several choices. He said that we could choose to see life instead of death, light instead of darkness, and blessings instead of curses. We could see the value of being on the Lord's side or see the pleasures that last for a moment on the other side. We could choose to see Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away our sins as John did or see Him as another historical figure or one of the prophets.

The same is true in the other issues of life. We can look at life and see our lack or we can see the things that we have and be thankful for them. We can look at others and choose to see their faults or we can attempt to discern their needs and seek for a way to help them. We can see people that are lonely and give them our unconditional love or we can look at them through judgmental eyes and do nothing about their need. We can look at our past hurts and choose to be bitter or we can be forgiving. All of these choices are ours. When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he was looking for more than a cousin, a man, or a carpenter. He had a greater vision that he wanted fulfilled. Time is short and we must do the same. There are two ways to look at everything so we must adjust our vision and see Jesus and the world in a more productive way. The way we view things will determine the outcome of our progress in life and also the depth of relationships that we will be able to establish and maintain. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/21/12
GOD'S WAY IS PERFECT

Scripture: Psalms 18:30 (NIV) "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless."

We live in a real world which is not perfect in any way. At times things seem to be in order and at other times there is great chaos. There are floods, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, and personal problems that come in our direction, but our goal must be to remain peaceful in all situations. We may not understand all that is happening around us, but what we do need to understand is that God is perfect in every way and that He is watching over us. What is happening in our own personal lives at the moment is not just an event but a process. It is a stepping-stone to help us get to the next place that God has ordained for us. God is doing something far greater in our lives than we can ever imagine, for the Lord's ways are much higher than our ways and His thoughts are greater than our thoughts.

We may stand, weeping, beside an open grave that has been prepared for our loved one. We may watch as our leaders and heroes fail us. Our friends and family may reject and abandon us when we need them the most. The truth is that things will not always turn out as we have planned. Yet, as we face the disappointments and the challenges that are set before us, we must remember that God's promises are always flawless. When He speaks, He makes no mistakes and He never fails. There are no idle words that come from His mouth, for each word and every promise will come to pass just as He has declared. Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass will wither, the flower will fade, but the word of the Lord will stand forever."

God is steadfast and we must trust Him at all times. We are His children and He has our best interest in His heart. Adversity does not signal that you are off course, for when you are walking towards God and you are in His will, you are facing the devil who is walking in the opposite direction. So don't allow yourself to become discouraged by every speed bump in the road that slows you down. Just keep moving in faith. If you are unable to see the path before you because the problems are too great, just take one step at a time. Continue on the journey that God has set before you and remember that His ways are perfect and His Word is flawless. He will not fail you. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/22/12
TRUE WORSHIP

Scripture: John 4:23 "True worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth."

Worship was originally spelled "worthship" and means to acknowledge the worth of the one being worshipped. Worshipping God has to do with who God the Father is and not just acknowledging and praising Him for what He has done or is doing for us. Knowledge is the mother of devotion and those who are empty of the Word of God cannot worship God in truth because true worship can only come as the revelation of the character of God has been birthed within your spirit. In other words, you cannot love and worship someone you don't know. Faith is also required in true worship, for you must believe that God's presence is there to receive your worship.

We praise God for His awesome works but worship far surpasses the material and physical realm and reaches far into the spirit. Worship recognizes the character of God and understands that God is spirit and because He is spirit, He can only be truly worshiped with the spirit. The rocks are able to cry out in praise to God (Luke 19:40) and the sun, moon, and stars of light are commanded to praise God (Psalms 148:3). Even the morning stars sing together (Job 38:7). Yet, none of these awesome creations of God can worship Him in spirit because God has not breathed His spirit of life into them. Worship is an experience that takes place in the heart. Worship happens when the whole being is yielded to God and the love that is within our heart bows down in reverence to the holiness of God. It is an inward expression of our recognition of God's glory and grace.

John 4:23 continues to tell us that God is seeking for those who would worship Him in spirit and truth. He is actively watching and waiting. The Lord is looking for a bride who loves Him and knows how to pleasure Him with true worship. He doesn't want lip service. He wants a heart that is full of true worship. He looks beyond the loud shouts of praise to find the quiet spirit of love that is on its knees in beautiful and reverential worship. If you dedicate yourself to be one of those who will worship God in spirit and in truth, you will find Him and He will find you. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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08/23/12
PREDETERMINE NOT TO SIN

Scripture: Genesis 39:9 "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God."

Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers, and as he served Potiphar, he gained great favor. His master, Potiphar, noticed that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord caused everything that Joseph did to prosper so Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his entire house and everything that he had. Potiphar held nothing back from Joseph except his own wife. Joseph was a handsome young man and Potiphar's wife began to entice him to sleep with her, but Joseph blatantly refused. There was no discussion about the matter, for his heart was predetermined not to sin against God.

How often do we slip into a place of sin because we have not made a predetermined decision not to take that path? It is amazing, but when you draw a line of demarcation in your spirit concerning certain matters, the devil doesn't even tempt you in those areas. He knows that you have set certain boundaries and limits and that you are clearly separated from engaging in those activities. He knows that you have decided that you are not going to steal, kill, commit adultery, lie, cheat, or give into addictions so he doesn't place these temptations in front of you, but tries to find another area where you may be weak and vulnerable.

We always have canned drinks in the refrigerator, but seldom have bottled drinks. The other day my oldest son left a bottle of Coke in the refrigerator so that he could drink it later. I pointed it out to my younger son and told him that it belonged to his older brother and instructed him not to drink it. Upon hearing these instructions, he promptly declared, "Well don't blame me if I accidentally drink it." I was amused because I wondered how could he drink it accidentally when he was plainly told that it belonged to someone else and was asked not to drink it. By the way, he is no child. He is over thirty years old.

Yet, this is how it is when we allow ourselves to sin. Even though we are mature in the Lord, we think that because the temptation is there, it is not our fault if we give in. Adam and Eve may have felt like saying, "Well don't blame us if we accidentally eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Yet the availability to sin does not dispel the responsibility that we have for our own actions. In times of temptation, we must remember Joseph and understand that the only way to win the battle of temptation is to make a predetermined decision in our heart not to sin. We must bring ourselves to our senses by asking the question that Joseph asked, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of August 2012

08/27/12
SSONGS OF DELIVERANCE

Scripture: II Chronicles 20:22 "When they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments" against the enemy.

The enemies of Israel came to do battle against Jehoshaphat and the people of God. As Jehoshaphat prayed and sought God, God told him not to fear or worry about the battle because the battle belonged to the Lord. God then gave Jehoshaphat unique instructions on how to fight the battle and told him to appoint singers to go out before the army and praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice. When they obeyed and began their praise, God began to do battle. He caused their praise to confuse the enemy and the enemy began to fight against themselves, ultimately destroying one another. The Amplified Bible says, "The Lord set ambushments ... and the enemy was self slaughtered."

Praise and worship are unique weapons. Paul and Silas were delivered from the jail when they sang praises to God at the midnight hour (Acts 16:25-26). And when David played music, evil spirits departed from King Saul. Power is also manifested when we minister to God and worship before Him with music. In Psalms 32:7 David told the Lord:

"Thou art my hiding place;
Thou shalt preserve me from trouble;
Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance."

Just as God surrounded David, He will also surround you with songs of deliverance. In the midst of your adversity, if you listen intently, you will hear God's still small voice suggesting a song to your spirit. That song will hide you in times of trouble and will keep you in perfect peace. It will birth a boldness within you and instill a sense of victory within your spirit. Psalms 149:6 says, "Let the high praises of God be in your mouth and a two-edged sword in your hand." The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). The next verses in this psalm declare that praise and the two-edged sword will cause honor to come to the saints because they will execute vengeance and judgment, bring punishment, and bind kings. The battle belongs to the Lord. When you use His unique weapons, which are His Word and songs of praise, He surrounds you with deliverance. The Lord fights your battles, sets ambushments against your enemies, and causes you to be more than a conqueror. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/28/12
FORGIVEN

Scripture: Psalms 32:1-2 "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord does not impute iniquity ..."

It is very easy to understand why David wrote these words concerning the Lord's forgiveness, for he had failed miserably during his lifetime. Even though David loved God intimately with all of his heart and had written many beautiful psalms of praise and worship, he still managed to fall into gross sin. In a moment of uncontrolled passion, he allowed his soul to lust after Bathsheba, and then followed those thoughts into adultery and murder. Yet when David confessed his sins, he experienced the mercy and gracious forgiveness of a loving God and he realized how blessed he was that God had forgiven him. David recognized that God did not impute or hold his iniquity against him. Nor did God remove His Holy Spirit from David. Instead God covered or forgave David's sins, renewed a right spirit within him, and restored the joy of his salvation.

This is an encouragement to us all because God's Word tells us that we all have sinned. In fact, I John 1:9 says that if we say that we have no sin, we make God a liar. And we know that God cannot lie. Yet even though we do sin and fall short of what God expects from us, we can be thankful that God does not impute our iniquity. Impute means to "consider, make account of, or think about in a malicious way." According to David, God doesn't go around keeping account or adding up all of our transgressions. We would be in serious trouble if He did. Neither does God think about us and our sins in a malicious way, wondering how He can punish us with disease and suffering. This is not God's way. He is not bitter or hateful towards us, but full of love, mercy, and grace, for He is our Father.

I shop at a store that issues membership cards and the one I use is tax-free. When I checked out recently I told the cashier that my items were for personal use and that tax should be charged. However, the tax did not show up on the receipt. After ringing the items again, he called a floor manager who could not figure out what the problem was either. She took me to the courtesy booth to see the store manager who finally determined that all of my purchases were food items and were non-taxable. All this time, I had been concerned because I felt that I needed to pay for something, which in reality, I did not owe.

That's how it is with sin. When we sin, we feel indebted because of our sense of guilt. Yet, there is no debt laid to our charge because God doesn't keep a sin and transgression tab on us. There is no way that we can pay the price for the forgiveness of our sins because forgiveness doesn't come through mere penitence but was paid for in full by Jesus on the cross of Calvary. God is the one who forgives because of Jesus' sacrifice. We are blessed and set free when we understand the meaning of David's words and realize that God really is not imputing or counting up all of our iniquities. God's forgiveness is available to us through a simple formula. His word says, "If we confess, God forgives." +++

Scripture: James 4:6-7 "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God."

We know God's character and are confident that He wants the best for us, but many times it is hard to let go and totally submit our lives to Him because of our pride. It is in our nature to assert our privileges, claim our rights, and be in control. Yet, when we do these things outside of God's bidding, we dishonor His sovereignty and leave ourselves vulnerable and unprotected because disobedience removes us from the covering of God's protecting grace. We are like a train that leaves the tracks in an effort to find freedom. Yet, when it leaves the confines of the tracks, it finds itself not liberated, just derailed.

Submission means yielding. If you have the right of way but see a big truck coming your direction, it is not the time to stand in the way and demand your rights. You simply need to make an adjustment. God's call to submission not only includes yielding ourselves to Him and His will as individuals, but also submission in other areas of our lives as well. When we submit our lives in accordance with His Word, we are in effect submitting to God. Scriptures teach us that we are called to submit one to another. Children are to submit themselves to their parents and the young to their elders. Wives are to submit themselves to their own husbands. And we, as the church, are instructed to submit to the ordinances of men and to those who are in authority and have rule over us. When we do not follow God's plan of submission, we find ourselves derailed spiritually.

Submission to God's will, principles, and righteousness are an essential part of our walk with Him. He wants us to move through life with an inward assurance that He is in control of every aspect of our life. Like the derailed train, we cannot move away form God's sovereign design for our lives. We must have an undivided heart towards Him, trusting that we are held securely in His hands. We are to exercise patience and be in peace, knowing that whatever He has committed to us, we can place right back into His hands and ask for His help and direction. We are never without God's help, for He knows that we are but dust and that we need His wisdom that comes down from above. We must ask for God's wisdom, trust His plan, and be thankful for all that He allows, knowing that whatever happens in our lives has eternal purposes in His mind. He is our gracious Heavenly Father and we should ask Him to deal with anything in our lives that is contrary to His purposes. As we humbly submit to His perfect will and timing, we can rest assured that there is nothing that affects us that doesn't also affect Him and that His grace will cover it all. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/30/12
FRIENDS

Scripture: John 15:15 "I have called you friends."

What a wonderful friend we have in Jesus. We can unload all of burdens upon Him and find His peace. We can exchange all our grief and sorrows for His comfort, His encouragement, and the solace of His presence. Yet we all know that true friendship is not one sided. It's a sharing relationship and there are requirements from both sides that must be met and maintained before a true friendship can be developed and sustained. Have you ever met someone you thought would become a very close friend, then have the relationship suddenly end? You may have discovered that you were not on the same terms of your new found friend or possibly the trust that you extended to them was violated. Or perhaps, you both were so caught up in the routine of life that neither of you could devote sufficient time to the relationship.

Like natural friendship, our friendship with Jesus also has demands, for there are things that He expects from us. To prove and maintain our relationship, He says in verse fourteen that we must "do whatsoever He commands." One of the most important commands that He give is that we love one another (Vs. 17). This is a simple statement of what He requires from our friendship. When we are saved, we have eternal life, but to maintain our friendship with Jesus, we must walk in love towards one another. In return for our obedience to this commandment to love, He says, "All that I heard from the Father, I have made known unto you." There is a tremendous bonding that occurs when we disclose ourselves to our friends.

Jesus disclosed Himself and the secret mysteries of the Almighty God with us. He has shared not just some of the things His Father told Him, but everything. He extended His trust to us because we are His friends, thus making Himself and His Father available and accessible to us. What a unique relationship we have at our disposal. We have a friend who is Christ, the Son of the Living God. He is a friend that will stick closer to us than our own brother (Proverbs 18:24). And He is a friend who has shown us His great love by laying down His life for us (John 15:14). He has enriched our lives and extended His friendship to us. Now our time has come to reciprocate and maintain this wonderful friendship, He states it very simply,

If you obey the commandment of love - you are My friend.
If you do not obey - you are not My friend. +++

Scripture: Romans 12:5 "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members of one another."

The believers of Christ are all members of His body. Just before the Apostle Paul made this statement, he said that we are to present ourselves as a living sacrifice unto God, which is our reasonable service. He also said that we are not to be conformed to the world's way of thinking. Instead, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind through the Word of God. The world's view is to be more concerned about yourself than others, but a believer of Christ should consider others before themselves. Believers should also endeavor to function in unity, one with another. Like a body with different parts we possess different gifts and ministries, but we are still members of one body and should encourage and exhort one another daily so that the body of Christ can be strong in the Earth.

It is evident that the Lord wanted us to care for one another because He inspired holy men of God to write scriptures to instruct us in the ways that we were to treat one another. It is quite amazing but the Lord uses us to touch others for Him and to do what is in His heart. Following is a partial list that defines the expectations of the Lord and tells us how we are to treat one another:

1) We are not to oppress 'one another' or take advantage of 'one another' (Lev. 25:17).

2) We are to love 'one another' as Jesus loved us (John 13:34).

3) We are to be kindly affectionate 'one to another',

and in honor to prefer 'one another' (Rom. 12:10).

4) We are not to judge 'one another' (Rom. 14:13).

5) We are to serve 'one another' in love (Gal. 5:13).

6) We are not to destroy or devour 'one another' (Gal. 5:15).

7) We are not to provoke 'one another' to envy (Gal. 5:26).

8) We are to forbear or be patient to 'one another' in love (Eph. 4:2).

9) We are to forgive 'one another' as God forgave us (Eph. 4:32).

10) We are to teach and instruct 'one another' (Col. 3:16).

11) We are to comfort 'one another' with the Word of God (I Thess. 4:18).

12) We are to edify or build up 'one another' (I Thess. 5:11).

13) We are to exhort 'one another' daily (Heb. 3:13).

14) We are to consider 'one another' and to provoke 'one another' to love and good works (Heb. 10:24).

15) We are to submit ourselves 'one to another' (Eph. 5:24).

16) We are not to lie to 'one another' (Col. 3:9).

17) We are to pray for 'one another' (James 5:16).

18) We are to show hospitality 'one to another' (I Peter 4:9) .

19) We are to minister 'one to another' (I Peter 4:10).

This is not an exhaustive list, but God's intentions are very plain. It is apparent that He wanted us to love and minister to one another just as our own body cares for its many members. When a member of our personal body has a need or is in pain, the entire body rushes to its rescue. Our body comforts and cares for itself. One hand is there for the other hand. Its members work one with another until the body is healed and functioning well. I encourage you to consider the scriptures above and allow them to renew your mind and transform your thinking. Let them guide you as you minister to others. Remember that you are not only a part of the Body of Christ but also members one of another. +++